Universal joint



April 2s, 1942.

s. G. wlNsQuls'r UNIVERSAL JOINT Original Filed Sept. 28,y 1940 Patented Apr. 28, 1942y UNIVERSAL JOINT K Sven Gustar' IIingquist, Remningstorp, Sweden Original application September 28, `1940, 4Serial Divided and this application April 11, 1941, Serial No. 388,158. In Sweden July Claims. (Cl. (i4-17) The present invention refers to universal joints having one centre of deflection and comprising a driving and a driven joint member provided with axially projecting lugs, between which roller bodies are placed, which eiect the transmission of movement between the joint members, the present application being a division of my pending application Serial No. 358,921, liled September 28, 1940.

Generally, joints of this art are mounted on a telescopic shaft, which takes up length variations .occurring during the drive and due to frictional forces caused hereby acts pulling or 'pushing on the joint.

Thus, separate means must be provided in order to keep the joint members together axially with respect to pulling as well as pushing forces.

To this end universal joints of the art mentioned in most cases have been provided with spherical cups enclosing the joint members and taking up pulling forces and with a centrally disposed spherical member, such as a ball, for

taking up pushing forces.

However, such devices are relatively complicated and cause, when the joint members occupy a deected position relatively to each other, considerable frictional forces and, as a consequence, a considerable wear.

The present invention has for its object to avoid the above mentioned drawbacks and consists essentially in this that placed inside the lug-s of the joint members is a rigid member having four crosswisely placed teeth meshing with corresponding tooth spaces in the said lugs.

At axial pulling or pressing on the joint members diametrically opposed teeth will hereby by pairs be exposed to power moments counteracting each other, so that the joint members will be kept together axially by themselves. Besides, when the joint members occupy a deflected position relatively to each other, the movements of the said connecting member relatively to the lugs of the joint members will cause no considerable friction and Wear.

Further, by placing the said connecting member inside the projecting lugs, where a free space always is disposable, the said member will not bring about any increase of the dimensions of the joint proper, and simultaneously the said member may without diiiculty be made with such dimensions, which are required for taking up the greatest stresses normally occurring.

The annexed drawing Ishows an embodiment of a device according to this invention applied to a universal joint adapted for power transmission in both directions.

In the drawing, Fig. l is an axial section, Fig; 2 a cross-section, and Fig. 3 a detail view of the joint.

Referring tothe drawing, I denotes the driving joint member and 2 the driven joint member. Each of said members is provided with two diametrically. opposed lugs 3, 4 and 31, 41, respectively, which, in the embodiment shown, are provided on both sides with races 5, 6 and 1, and 51, 61 and 71, 81, respectively. Placed between the proximate races 5-51, 6,-61, 1-11 and 8,-81 on the lugs are conical roller bodies, 9, Il), I I and I2, respectively, having the apex located in the centre of deflection of the joint. The diametrically opposed rollers 9 and II, which are formed at the ends of a bolt I3 serving as a rigid transmission member, are adapted for forward run: ning, whereas the separate rollers I0 and I2 are adapted for the running in the opposite direction.

Secured to the rollers 9, Il), II, I2 by riveting are pinions I5, I6, I'I and I8, respectively, which mesh with corresponding teeth I9, |91, 20, 201 at the ends of bent strips 29, 291, 30, 301 firmly secured to the corresponding lugs 3, 31, 4 and .41, respectively, by means of screws.

For the axial keeping together of the joint a separate member is provided having the shape of a sleeve 22 surrounding the shaft I3 and provided with two' pairs of diametrically opposed gudgeons 23, 24 and 231, 241, respectively, forming an oblique cross. Placed on the said gudgeons are rotatable rollers 25, 26 and 251, 261, respectively, serving as toothed elements and meshing with corresponding slots 21, 28, 211, 281 made in the joint arms 3, 4 and 31, 41, respectively, and having a spherical bottom.

'Ihe generatrix-angle of the roller bodies 9, Il), II, I2 is small, the non-uniformity with respect to the angular speeds of the driving and the driven joint shafts being thereby small. On the other hand, the cross 22, 23, 24, 231, 241 forms as an approximate body of rotation a doublecone having the generatrix passing through the centres of the gudgeons and through the centre of deiiection of the joint and having a generatrix-angle, which is less than that of the roller bodies 9 to I2.

When the joint acts with a brokenshaftangle, the cross does not follow the rigid transmission member 9, II, I3 quite coaxially since said members deviate from the bisectrix-plane at dilerent angles. For this reason the shaft I3 of the transmission member is capable of moving freely in the cross-sleeve with a play sucient for the said deviations, but resting against the rollers of the cross at the moments (two times at each revolution), when the two members are coaxial. Thus, after each deviation from the bisectrix-plane the transmission member will bring back the cross to the coaxial position.

At the deflection of the joint members I and 2 the toothed elements I5, I6, I1, IB on the rollers and the corresponding toothed elements I9, |91, 20, 201 on the joint arms eiect the adjustment of the rollers in their correct positions on the races 5, 51, B, 61, 1, 11 and 8, 81, while the member 22 with its gudgeons and rollers and by the mesh of said rollers with the joint arms effects the axial keeping together of the joint members, in as much as at pulling or thrust on the joint members the diametrically opposed gudgeons 23, 24 and 231, 241 will be exposed to power moments counter-acting each other. The rollers 25, 251, .26, 261 act in the slots 21, 211, 28, 281 in the manner as teeth in tooth spaces.

Evidently, the invention is applicable also to other embodiments of universal joints than that one shown in the drawing and operating with rollers as power transmission elements, and the teeth of the connecting member may be made in other manner than as rotatable rollers.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A universal joint having one centre of deflection, comprising a driving member, a driven "member, axially projecting lugs on each of said members, races .on said lugs, power transmitting v roller bodies between proximate races on vsaid lugs, a rigid connecting member placed inside said lugs, four crosswisely placed teeth `on said connecting member, and tooth spaces in said lugs in mesh with said teeth.

2. A universal joint having one centre of de- `ilection, comprising a driving member, a driven member, axially projecting lugs on each of said members, races on said lugs, power transmitting Vroller bodies between proximate races on said lugs, a rigidconnecting member placed inside said lugs, four crosswisely placed teeth on said connecting member, and tooth spaces in said lugs in mesh with said teeth, said connecting member being free to perform a rolling motion independent of the rolling motion of said roller bodies.

3. A universal joint having one centre of deecton, comprising a driving member, a driven member, axially projecting lugs on each of said members, races on said lugs, power transmitting conical roller bodies between proximate races on said lugs, a rigid connecting member placed in side said lugs, four crosswisely placed teeth on said connecting member, and tooth spaces in said lugs in mesh with said teeth, said connecting member being free to perform a rolling motion independent of the rolling motion of said roller bodies, the cone-angle of said crosswisely placed teeth and the corresponding angle of said conical roller bodies being diierent so as to provide for diierent deviations from the bisectrix-plane of said connecting member and said roller bodies.

4. A universal joint having one centre of deflection, comprising a driving member, a driven member, axially projecting lugs on each of said members, races on said lugs, power transmitting roller bodies between proximate races on said lugs, a rigid connecting member placed inside said lugs, four crosswisely placed teeth in the form of rotatable rollers on said connecting member, and teeth spaces in said lugs in mesh with said roller tooth.

5. A universal joint having one centre of deflection, comprising a driving member, a driven member, axially projecting lugs on each of said members, races on said lugs, power transmitting `roller bodies between proximate races on said lugs, a rotatable `cross shaft having its axis passing through the center of the joint for connecting two of said Aroller bodies, a rigid sleeveshaped connecting member between and inside said lugs and surrounding said cross shaft with play, four teeth on said connecting member in the form of an oblique cross, and tooth spaces in said lugs in mesh with said teeth.

SVENGUSTAF WINGQUIST. 

